Building another 1, thought I would share

Gungirl · 09-22-11, 07:53 AM

So I know a few people have asked me how My hubby and I build our vivs. I forgot to take pictures while starting this one but I think you will be able to figure it out.

We build all of ours out of a high quality ply wood. I use a 2 part epoxy coat on the floor of the viv and seal the rest with 3 coats of a Whey based sealant.

I have flexwatt on the hot side on top of the epoxy but under a sheet of plexi to keep the water or fecal matter off of it. I use a Radiant heat panel in the center of the viv to keep the temps right on in the cold winter months.

Hope you enjoy the pictures... The viv in progress is going to be for my corn snake Ivan and the finished one is My BP spots home.

DeesBalls · 09-22-11, 08:42 AM

Very Nice!!! I am going to be building 3 cages soon and i need to know what im doing, your enclosure looks great!!

does your front go all the way down?

i was thinking of doing my front like that, but not sure what im doing.... I.e folding down, slidding open, opening 2 doors... lol

very nice

blindfireak40 · 09-22-11, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiL_Boa

i was thinking of doing my front like that, but not sure what im doing.... I.e folding down, slidding open, opening 2 doors... lol

very nice

Just remember, if you do sliding, there's always the chance that a gap will exist between the two panes, which could allow escape. If I were in your shoes, I'd go with the top-latching, 1-piece door at the front. K.I.S.S. principle and all that

And Kat, AMAZING work!! I wanna build vivs just like that when I grow up hahaha

...mind giving us an approximate price for materials?

Gungirl · 09-22-11, 09:13 AM

My door folds open leaving about 1.5" of wood in place to hold in the aspen/cypress bedding. I just used a piano hing and a wood frame with plexi glass and 2 locks at the top. My hubby had to place a piece of wood on the top inside of the door hooked to the frame to keep the door from folding in though. We might also place a piece on both sides of the door to make sure the snakes can not push it out at all.
As far as price goes we bought all the wood for about $100 2 pieces of plexi was $30ish We got the thicker stuff for the door. The plexi on top of the flex watt is the thin stuff that was $20. The hinge and locks where $30 and the epoxy was $50. This will make the 2 vivs plus a base cabinet of equal size to the vivs. So if I can add right we are right about $230 give or take a few dollars.

youngster · 09-22-11, 09:44 AM

Yeah, for my build I was going to do 2 doors that open but I think now I want to do 1 latched door.

Gungirl · 09-22-11, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blindfireak40

Kat, AMAZING work!! I wanna build vivs just like that when I grow up hahaha

Thanks for the kind words!!

Youngster I did one solid door for 3 reasons: first off It gives you a clear unobstructed view of your snakes, It is easier to make and I feel that its easier to make more secure. Good luck on your build!

**lady_bug87** · 09-22-11, 12:00 PM

awesome looking viv

I think when we buy a house I am going to build vivs like that for the snakes and use the glass vivs for lizards the only one I may keep in the all glass viv is the GTP

but awesome!!

Gungirl · 09-22-11, 12:06 PM

Thanks Lady bug

As soon as we are done with the one for Ivan we are building one for my GTP. It will be 24"deep x 36" wide and 36" tall. Instead of putting whey sealant on the inside I will 2 part epoxy 3 sides and seal the wood on the door with it also. I will post pics of that in this thread as soon as we get building it.

Oh and the size of the vivs we built above are 4'L x 18"d x 2'w

marvelfreak · 09-22-11, 04:55 PM

Very nice job.

ladyjustice33 · 09-22-11, 05:39 PM

Kat....those are gorgeous!!! You should be building those and selling them! I would buy it for sure!!!

Gungirl · 09-22-11, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladyjustice33

Kat....those are gorgeous!!! You should be building those and selling them! I would buy it for sure!!!

Wow thanks a lot!! If you where closer I would have hubby help me build you one!

**millertime89** · 09-23-11, 09:16 PM

Those look great, gives me a lot of ideas. I notice you have vents in the back, what do you do about the scent? I have friends comment about it sometimes when they come over.

shaunyboy · 09-23-11, 09:23 PM

very proffesional finish to your tanks,i wish i had a talent like that

it would save me a lot of money,if i could build that good

great work you did there

cheers shaun

**millertime89** · 09-23-11, 09:35 PM

what kind of plywood did you use? like what species tree did it come from?

Gungirl · 09-24-11, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millertime89

Those look great, gives me a lot of ideas. I notice you have vents in the back, what do you do about the scent? I have friends comment about it sometimes when they come over.

I don't think I know what you mean... My snakes viv's don't smell at all. The vents are there so that my snakes get fresh air.

As far as the wood its Oak and I seal it 110% with a cheese whey based Poly